Criminal Mischief and Arson Reported on Four Area Streets

Police are investigating a string of criminal mischief incidents on vehicles, including two arsons in Toms River and two in the Holiday City section of Berkeley Township, occurring earlier on March 23.

A 2011 Nissan sedan was on fire at Roanoke Drive off of Walnut Street just before 6 a.m., police Chief Michael Mastronardy said.

An Ocean County-owned vehicle, a 2002 Ford pickup truck, was on fire on Haines Road off Washington Street at 6:30 a.m., the police chief said.

A vehicle on North Gateway had its gas tank punctured, its owner reported earlier March 24, Mastronardy said.

The Toms River Fire Company extinguished both fires. The three incidents were approximately four miles apart on residential streets.

In the Holiday City section of Berkeley Township after 3 a.m. March 23, two similar incidents were reported. According to initial reports, two vehicles were on fire outside a Pine Valley Drive home, with the fire contained shortly after 3:30 a.m. County fire marshals are investigating.

Detective James Magovern, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and the Ocean County Prosecutors Office are investigating these incidents as well as the two similar incidents that occurred in Berkeley.